Israel's UN ambassador Dan Gillerman speaks at Security Council stakeout after the veto of the resolution 05 October 2004 at the United nations in New York. The United States vetoed an Arab-backed draft resolution at the UN Security Council, which would have called on Israel to end its deadly military operation in the Gaza Strip. (Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

    UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States on Tuesday vetoedan Arab-backed UN Security Council resolution demanding Israel immediately end military operations in the Gaza Strip and withdraw its troops.

    Germany, Britain and Romania abstained from the vote on the draft proposed by Algeria, Tunisia and Pakistan.

    Despite a last-minute effort by Russia to save the draft, the US blocked the draft which it termed as "one-sided."

    "Because of these material omissions, because of the lack of balance, the resolution lacks credibility and deserve a 'no' vote," US Ambassador John Danforth said in a statement before the vote.

    He listed a whole collection of "tough" words in the draft, such as "occupying power," "indiscriminate" use of force, and noted that the US had no problems with those words as long as theyare accurate.

    The draft resolution condemned the "broad military incursion and attacks" by Israeli forces in the area of northern Gaza Strip.

    It reiterated calls upon Israel to abide "scrupulously" by its legal obligations and responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention to protect civilians in conflicts.

    The draft demanded the immediate cessation of all military operations in the troubled area, and called on Israel to ensure the "unfettered" access and safety of UN personnel.    

¡¡¡¡ISRAEL'S ATTACKS CONTINUE

    The large-scale Israeli operations in the northern Gaza Strip has entered the seventh day on Tuesday with more than 70 Palestinians having been killed.

    Two Palestinian militants were killed on Tuesday night by an Israeli missile fired at them as they were gathering in a refugee camp in Jabalya in northern Gaza Strip.

    The two militants from al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah's armed wing, were brothers and were killed as an Israeli unmanned reconnaissance drone fired one missile at a group of militants gathered in the camp.

    Medics at a local hospital said the remains of the two militants were brought to the emergency room, adding that six others were injured, two of them were in critical conditions.

    Before the airstrike, Palestinian radio stations warned the residents in Jabalya that there were Israeli drones and Apache helicopters flying and hovering over the area.

    Earlier on Tuesday, an Israeli helicopter missile hit a car driving in Gaza City, killing two militants and wounding five others.

    Palestinian security sources said the two militants were members of Islamic Jihad's armed wing Al Quds Brigades. One of them was Bashir al-Dabash, the wing's commander in the Gaza Strip.    

    POWELL URGES ISRAEL TO END OPERATIONS

    US Secretary of State Colin Powell urged Israel on Tuesday to put an end promptly to its attacks against Palestinians.

    "I hope that this operation can come to a conclusion quickly," Powell was quoted by US media as saying when he was flying to Brazil.

    Meanwhile, Powell claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had found a need to respond to Palestinian rocket attacks, saying he hoped that "whatever he (Sharon) does is proportionate to the threat that Israel is facing."

    The US State Department called on Israel to limit its retaliation to a proportionate use of force, but insisted that Israel has the right to defend itself.    

    INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CONCERNED ABOUT SITUATION IN GAZA

    Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot criticized Israel's offensive inthe Gaza Strip as "disproportionate," and called on Israel and thePalestinians to return to the negotiating table.

    The remarks of Bot in the Dutch parliament carried added weightsince the Netherlands holds the rotating chairmanship of the European Union (EU), and he speaks for the bloc in his contacts with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

    The EU is doing everything in its power to seek dialogue, whichis the only way to end the violence, he said, adding that the EU is prepared to act as a mediator in peace talks.

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Palestine should prevent terrorist attacks and Israel must abstain from using disproportionate force in its operations.

    Lavrov made the call during telephone conversations with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.

    He stressed that Israel's right for self-defense should be confined to the framework of international humanitarian regulations.

    Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Israel's on-going military operations hampered his country's efforts to cool down the situation.

    Gheit added that the Israeli operations also harmed Egypt's efforts to restore confidence between the Palestinians and Israelis. Enditem